DES MOINES — Instead of dwelling on what could have been, the Linn-Mar Lions chose to think about what could be Saturday afternoon. Metro basketball fans should be doing the same thing.
Linn-Mar beat Sioux City East, 62-57, in the Class 4A consolation game at Wells Fargo Arena to finish its season 24-2. The Lions tied a record held by Cedar Rapids Regis with their seventh consecutive state tournament trip and set a record with their seventh straight finish of fourth or better.
“I didn’t know that,” Linn-Mar Coach Chris Robertson. “I …

DES MOINES — The best player in Iowa history? The best team in Iowa history?
You make the call.
Make no mistake, Harrison Barnes is a great basketball player. You don’t get handed the Morgan Wootten Award as the nation’s top prep, as he did Wednesday, without being special.
And he was unstoppable at times in the second half as his team eased to a 57-44 Class 4A state tournament quarterfinal win over Cedar Rapids Washington at Wells Fargo Arena. But without trying to sound too homerish here, if Ames is the best …

CLASS 4A QUARTERFINALS
CEDAR RAPIDS WASHINGTON (14-8) vs. AMES (24-0), 1:45 p.m.: The Warriors will be heavy underdogs to an Ames squad that won last year’s 4A title and has notched 50 wins in a row. Harrison Barnes averages 26.9 ppg and 10.5 rpg and is a North Carolina recruit. Doug McDermott, a Northern Iowa recruit and son of Iowa State basketball coach Greg, averages 20.5 ppg and 7.8 rpg. The Little Cyclones aren’t so little, going 6-8, 6-8, 6-7 and 6-4 in the starting lineup … Washington’s big two-some all …

CEDAR RAPIDS — You get this from Marcus Paige.
“He’s something else.”
 And this from Josh Oglesby.
 “He’s really good. That’s about all you can say.”
There’s been more said about Harrison Barnes. A lot more.
The Ames superstar is considered the top college recruit in the country and perhaps the best prep boys’ basketball player in Iowa history. The consensus is he could have jumped straight to the NBA next year but decided to play at least one season at North Carolina.
Linn-Mar’s Paige and Cedar Rapids Washington’s Oglesby have played with or against the …

THE TEAMS
Team (W-L) Apps Titles
Ames (24-0) 19 7
C.R. Jefferson (18-4) 8 1
C.R. Washington (14-8) 16 1
Clinton (17-6) 9 1
Linn-Mar (22-1) 8 3
Sioux City East (20-3) 14 2
Southeast Polk (19-3) 5 0
W.D.M. Dowling (17-7) 12 2
SCORING LEADERS Avg.
Harrison Barnes (Ames) 26.9
Kody Ingle (SEP) 23.8
Jarrod Uthoff (CRJ) 21.5
Doug McDermott (Ames) 20.5
Adam Woodbury (SCE) 17.4
Matt Bohannon (L-M) 17.4
Josh Oglesby (CRW) 16.3
Jordan Thomas (SCE) 15.7
David Johnson (Clinton) 15.5
REBOUNDING LEADERS Avg.
Adam Woodbury (SCE) 12.3
Harrison Barnes (Ames) 10.5
Jarrod Uthoff (CRJ) 10.2
Jeff Sponder (SCE) 8.8
Doug McDermott (Ames) 7.8
David Johnson (Clinton) 7.8
PREDICTIONS
Quarterfinals
Ames 65, C.R. Washington 45
Sioux City East …

As voted by coaches.
2009-10 All-Metro Boys’ Basketball

Here it is. Chris Robertson of Linn-Mar and Bob Fontana of Cedar Rapids Kennedy are the division coaches of the year. Cedar Rapids Jefferson’s Jarrod Uthoff and TrayVonn Wright of Waterloo West were players of the year.
Striking how much better the Valley Division was this season than the Mississippi Division. Three MVC are at the state tournament next week, all from the Valley Division.
2009 10.PDF All MVC Hoops

CEDAR RAPIDS — It may light-heartedly be called the Ames Invitational, but Cedar Rapids Washington is ecstatic to be attending.
“We’ve been overlooked most of the season,” Warriors guard Wes Washpun said after his team’s 54-47 Class 4A substate final basketball win last night at the U.S. Cellular Center over Iowa City High. “So we’re just going try and make some noise there.”
Washington (14-8) won its eighth game in a row to qualify for next week’s state tournament in Des Moines. You’d have to ponder awhile to come up with a …

Cedar Rapids Washington (13-8) vs. Iowa City High (10-12) at U.S. Cellular Center, 6:30 p.m.: These teams played in Rivalry Saturday at the U.S. Cellular Center on Jan. 30, with City High winning, 77-63. Their seasons took opposite turns after that. Washington hasn’t lost since, winning seven straight, including a 43-41 substate semifinal victory last Friday night against Cedar Rapids Kennedy. Josh Oglesby hit a long 3-pointer to win the game, and he leads the Warriors in scoring at 16.1 ppg. Point guard Wes Washpun is second at 15.0 … …

MARION — At least Chris Robertson has a good sense of humor about his best player’s malady.
“I almost answered the phone with ‘Still day to day,’” the Linn-Mar boys’ basketball coach laughed Monday afternoon.
Yes, point guard Marcus Paige is “still day to day” and may or may not play tonight when second-ranked Linn-Mar (21-1) and Pleasant Valley (17-7) get together in their Class 4A substate final at the U.S. Cellular Center. Tipoff is approximately 8 p.m., following the Cedar Rapids Washington-Iowa City High substate final, which tips at 6:30.
“Honestly, Marcus …